Poison Blossom, Tang Yeran.

Direct-blood of the Clan Head, born and bred in the Tang Clan.

If I remembered right, she was exactly twenty.

I’d already seen her face; a beauty both refined and vividly healthy.

Compared to Cheon Hyein—the “Moon Dancer,” Cheon Eujin’s sister—she gave the opposite impression.

Whatever the case, she resembled Pi Yeonjin and was very, very beautiful.

Beautiful enough that Cheon Eujin—who grew up seeing his own sister—stared blankly for a beat.

The problem was—

‘Why is she here?’

What was she hiding for?

Even knowing the newcomer was Tang Yeran, Do Hyeong didn’t take his hand off his sword.

Not a flicker in his face; not a trace of vigilance eased.

If anything, he let his refined force settle colder and higher.

“What business have you.”

Cold crept in Do Hyeong’s voice.

At that, Tang Yeran offered an abashed smile and said,

“Hahaha... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spy in secret... one thing led to another and I ended up hiding.”

“What business have you.”

He repeated himself.

Meaning: explain.

“Mm... well.”

She pursed her lips, troubled, then—

“I have business with one of your party.”

“One of us?”

“Yes, that one.”

She sent her gaze my way and took a step.

In that instant—

Shing—!

Do Hyeong drew half his blade.

‘You maniac.’

I had to choke on a gasp.

Of all people, the Tang Clan’s cherished jewel.

And he draws further on his sword...?

I sucked in a breath at his nerve.

“Do not approach.”

“My.”

At his words, Tang Yeran lifted both hands and stepped back.

Clear fluster showed on her face.

“Ah... did I perhaps forget to introduce myself? I am—”

She started to introduce herself—wondering if we were acting like this because we didn’t know who she was—but—

“We know. Poison Blossom.”

Do Hyeong said it flat.

“...Ah. Right.”

Tang Yeran had to give a sheepish face again.

Which meant we were doing this knowing exactly who she was.

“Mm. Then what should I... hm?”

Thinking, she suddenly saw something and her eyes went wide.

“Huh?”

And then—without hesitation—she came closer.

Do Hyeong frowned.

Shrrk.

He moved to draw fully—

Grab.

“...!”

Tang Yeran caught his hand.

An attack? I was wondering if I should take my sword when—

“This is an Iron River blade, isn’t it? Right?”

“...What are—”

Her eyes lit as she examined his sword.

“Even Silver grade. The edge is worn, but I can feel how well you’ve kept it. The spine, too—someone went to a lot of trouble here. Oh my... who forged this? Not the Workshop Chief... Uncle Tae? No... at this level...”

She stared like entranced, turning the blade this way and that—as if she might just snatch it any moment.

With that madness brimming, even Do Hyeong faltered—and so did I.

“Young lady...?”

“What iron did they use? Doesn’t feel like ordinary stock—composite? Well, sure, plain iron won’t earn Silver. You have to try something else... ah.”

Rattling off words, she stopped.

Then hurriedly stepped back.

With her signature sunny smile returning, she said,

“Sorry. I lose my head when I see things like this.”

“...”

No kidding. She’d really lost it.

“Ah. If not just this one, could you show me the other two swords later...?”

“What exactly do you think you’re doing.”

He went to draw fully again—but—

“...?”

He froze. His sword was gone.

Feeling it, he shot a look at Tang Yeran.

“Sorry about this, too.”

Still smiling, she held his sword.

When did she take it?

No one noticed. What was she planning to do with it?

“Here.”

She stepped in carefully and handed it back.

“I truly wasn’t hiding with hostility. Could you please believe me?”

“...”

Do Hyeong took the sword and slid it back at his hip.

So that was to show she wasn’t an enemy?

“Poison Blossom—”

“And I don’t much like being called that... if possible, please use my name.”

“...Lady Tang.”

At her request, he switched forms of address at once. As I’d noticed before, he listened better than you’d think.

“Thank you.”

“What business have you with us?”

“Ah, not with all three of you exactly.”

She turned her head and looked at me.

“Young Master Bang Sungyeon? I have business with you.”

“Me?”

She pointed at me.

“Yes!”

She answered with a smile.

I twisted my face.

Why are mother and daughter taking turns on me?

‘Ah, damn it.’

I was tired.

From the moment Tang Yeran showed up, I knew I was the target.

Her gaze had been pinned on me the whole time.

‘Uncomfortable.’

Very uncomfortable. Especially given our current relations.

“Young Master Bang. Could we talk for a moment? Preferably just the two of us.”

I clicked my tongue inside.

“At this hour? Just us? You’re awfully forward.”

“If you dislike now, daytime is fine. But I do prefer the night.”

Her word choice was a killer.

It felt deliberate, which made it worse.

She smiled like she wouldn’t lose.

Ah, she wouldn’t be an easy one.

‘So she’s not some naive noble miss.’

The feel was nothing like that.

I’ve barely met her kind, but people with this kind of sharpness are especially hard to deal with.

What to do.

Just ignore her and go? I could.

‘Hm.’

I thought for a beat and chose.

“Cheon—senior. May I talk a bit and catch up?”

“Will you be all right?”

“Yes. I won’t be long.”

Do Hyeong nodded.

Cheon Eujin looked a touch disappointed—probably because of the spar.

But he didn’t insist.

As the two turned to go, Do Hyeong caught my shoulder and murmured,

“Be careful.”

I nodded this time.

Careful? Of course. If I do anything well, it’s that.

Especially in the Tang Clan, I fully intended to be careful.

They left a word and went on ahead.

Tang Yeran and I were alone.

What would she bring up? I watched, curious—

“I heard my mother’s first love is your father?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

She lobbed a direct shot.

I swore before I knew it.

Then, startled at myself, I clapped a hand over my mouth.

“Oh my?”

Her eyes widened at my curse.

“...Sorry. You caught me off guard.”

“It’s fine. It was funny.”

“What was...?”

“It’s the first time a man my age has sworn in my face.”

“That’s funny?”

“Sure. Most people watch themselves in case they die.”

“...Should I apologize again?”

If she wanted, I could get on my knees.

“Haha. No. It really was funny.”

She just laughed, delighted.

A strange temperament, no matter how I looked at it.

Tang Jun, and even Tang Gyeongak, had that cold, chill nature.

Why was this one so... cheerful?

“I only brought it up to lighten the mood, but your reaction was delightful.”

“That isn’t what people usually say to lighten a mood.”

You’d say it wrecks it. Smashes it.

There wasn’t a positive spin buried in there anywhere.

The problem was—

“...Is that true, though...?”

That I was curious about it too.

Was Pi Yeonjin’s first love really my father?

At that, Tang Yeran tilted her head.

“You didn’t know?”

“No.”

How would I know? I couldn’t care less about my father’s romances.

Or maybe I’d heard too many and let them all wash past.

“My mother does have one thing she says every so often.”

“...What?”

I was curious.

“There are plenty of men in the world, but even if it rips your heart out, never meet a man of the Bang line. Also, if you do meet one, kill him before you get tangled.”

“...”

I shouldn’t have listened. I regretted it the instant the words landed.

She, for her part, wore an unbothered face despite the rather murderous line.

“Isn’t my mother adorable?”

“...Where?”

“Not being able to forget her first love—that’s cute.”

“No...”

I didn’t know where to start. If I had to pick one thing out of this mess—

“Why are you sure it was her first love...?”

On what basis did she decide Pi Yeonjin’s first love was my father?

Nothing in that statement said “first.”

Hearing that, Tang Yeran looked at me like I didn’t make sense.

“If she can’t forget him that much, of course it’s her first love. Haven’t you had one?”

“...”

An absurdly confident answer.

I actually lost my words for a moment.

“Ah... I see.”

So I just nodded.

It was the best move.

“She said if she ever saw one, her life would be ruined, so if she did, not to get tangled, not even to look.”

I ran a hand up my face.

What did my father do? What do you do to make someone recoil like that?

Choking the frustration down, I said,

“...Fine. Then what business do you have with a Bang she told you never to get tangled with?”

What business with me—enough to flout her mother’s words?

“Oh, I don’t really care about that sort of thing.”

“You don’t have to explain.”

She seemed to catch the barb in my tone, but it wasn’t the point.

So why had she come?

That mattered more.

When I asked for the point, she hesitated.

“Ah, no... it’s just...”

‘What?’

Her manner shifted.

She’d been talking fine a moment ago; now she looked... shy.

Even her neck and ears flushed red.

What was that reaction?

She was all hunched up like she was about to confess love.

Face warmed, cheeks full of anticipation.

Pretty eyes brimming with affection.

‘...What is this.’

Why the sudden nonsense.

I edged a step back.

Was she seriously about to confess?

I was already rattled enough from what she’d just said.

My brain locked up for a second like it had crashed. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Then Tang Yeran said,

“...Let—”

Let?

“Let me... s-see Full Moon... please!”

“...?”

For something cried out so bashfully, the words were bizarre.

Everything I’d just worried about evaporated.

What remained was my face contorting with disgust.

“...What?”

“Full Moon... you brought it, right? I know...!”

“I mean...”

I did bring it—but why bring that up now?

“Please, just once. It’s truly the wish of my life. I’ll do anything you want.”

“Wow.”

That was one hell of a dangerous line.

And her eyes were sincere. Which only made it harder to get.

“So you’re doing all this to see one broken sword...?”

“Broken... sword?”

Her expression shifted.

“You call that masterpiece... what?”

“Excuse me?”

She looked genuinely angry.

In her raised eyes narrowed sharply, I could glimpse Poison King.

“It’s a Special grade from Iron River—one that comes once in ten years if that. And it’s the Tang Clan’s magnum opus forged by my grandfather.”

“...Ah. Right...”

Special grade Iron River. That startled me a touch.

I’d figured it was something, since Yoo Cheongil used it.

‘So it’s Special grade.’

Forged of cold iron, sure, I’d expected it to be precious.

Special grade was outside my expectations.

‘Only a few people have those, don’t they?’

The best of the best blades from the Tang.

From what’s known: the Virtuous Sword bestowed on the current Alliance Leader.

The Plum-Blossom True Sword held by Mount Hua’s leader. And likely the blade the current Wudang leader uses.

And now, Full Moon was also Special grade.

‘That rusted, shattered blade...?’

No wonder the ghost old man raged like a madman. I would too.

Well, that aside—

“Please, can’t we make it work? I need to see it.”

She was about to grab my pant leg.

“Hey, what are you—!”

“Please—!”

“Stop—! Let go! My pants are coming down! Go ask your father for permission!”

“Obviously he won’t let me, that’s why I’m doing this! You’re Senior Yoo’s successor, aren’t you? Then you’re the owner, Young Master Bang...!”

She clamped tight to keep my pants from sliding.

I was going to lose my mind. I hadn’t planned for this at all.

“Why do you want to see it so badly?”

Why would a Tang girl be desperate to see that sword?

I didn’t get it.

“Well, that’s...”

She tried to answer—but my words got there first.

“Don’t tell me your hobby is smithing? If that’s it, there’s no need to—ah.”

I snapped my mouth shut mid-sentence.

Damn.

“Huh?”

A blank sound from her as she held on to me.

The strength in her grip loosened.

And—

“...Oh?”

The desperation faded from her eyes, replaced by a different interest—curiosity.

I bit my lip.

‘I slipped.’

As always.

This damn mouth was the problem.